Business machine carriage



Dec. 26, 1961 J. F. NUNNALLY BUSINESS MACHINE CARRIAGE Filed Sept. 22, 1958 l 7 rom/E Y E JNVENTOR. doe EA/aA/A/ALLV BY MMM United States PatentfO 3,014,772 BUSINESS MACHINE CARRAGE Joe F. Nunnally, 918 Monterey Road, Sallinas, Calif. Filed Sept. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 762,351 6 Claims. (Cl. 311-17) The present invention is primarily a typewriter stand which is designed to be attached to and partially supported on a desk or table by a cooperating track and roller whereby the stand, or table, may travel around the corner of such desk so as to be used or left at either the side or end thereof.

Small individual four legged tables have been used for the support of a typewriter; and a disappearing shelf attached to a desk has been so used. However, a small individual table is easily upset with damage to the typewriter; and disappearing shelves are not satisfactory when it is desired to have the typewriter out of the way for only a moment, or it is desired to use the typewriter at the end of a desk. Hence, it is an object of the present invention to attach a typewriter stand to a desk or table so that it may haveia plurality'A of work positions with respect thereto, side or end.

It is another object of the present invention to devise a stand that may be attached to a desk and, while so attached, moved around a corner thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a typewriter stand and desk with a track and roller for the cooperative support of such stand with respect to such desk.

Still another object o-f the invention is the construction of the present stand so that it may be easily folded to occupy a small volume for storing or shipping.

The above and other object are achieved and such defects and others of the prior art devices are remedied by a construction in which a track is attached to two intersecting edges and around the included corner of a desk, a roller is guided to ride on such track and is attached to the inside edge of a platform adapted to receive a typewriter, and a pair of legs carrying casters at their lower ends are hinged to the outside edge of the platj form to support it on the floor carrying the desk.

A construction such as outlined above is embodied in the modificationA hereinafter described in detail and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the stand and its support rail.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the above with the rail secured to a portion of a desk top.

vFIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the above without the desk top.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 with parts broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3 with parts broken away.

In the present disclosure, the Wood or metal top 1i of a desk or table to which the device of the present invention is attached, is indicated only in plan View in FIGURE 2 by a corner thereof. The rest of the desk and top is broken away. Attached to the shown corner of the desk is a track 12 having diverging legs 13, 14. This track need be a piece of at iron only about an inch in width and a quarter of an inch thick with a length equal to that desired for the travel of the stand. Applicant has found that a length of about eighteen inches for each leg of the track is satisfactory for use with most desks and tables, and he has found that a radius of one and a half inches for the bend 16 formed by the intersections of the legs, is suicient. The track is placed with its top edge in the plane of the upper face of the desk top, and the track is spaced from the edge of the desk about three-fourths of an inch so that the sharp j 3,@14372 Patented Dec. 26, 1961 corner of the desk will be spaced about a half inch from the bend 16. The spacing of the track from the desk top is had by means of spacing sleeves 17 placed between the desk edge and the inner face of the track with a wood screw 18, or other suitable fastener, passed thru the track, along the axis of each sleeve, and into the edge of the desk top to hold the track to and spaced from the top. If the corner of the desk `top is rounded, the spacing of the track from the desk edge may be reduced. Adjacent each end of the track is a stop 19 which projects from the outer face of the rail to limit movement of the stand along the rail. One of the stops is in the form of a cylindrical headed bolt screwed into the rail with the underside of the head against the rail.

The stand has a top 21 that may be of wood, or metal as shown. Asurface sixteen inches square is a desirable size but much larger surfaces may be constructed. The present stand top is shown with its edge portion raised to form an edge rib 22 so that, when used with a typewriter thereon, the raised ribv will hold the machine from easily moving over the edge. A downturned flange 23 and an inturned lbead 24 finish the edges of the stand top.y One edge of the top, the inner, or desk, edge, has a hanger plate 26 adjustably secured thereto by means of two bolts 27 which pass thru holes 22% in the plate, thru the edge flange 23, and into tapped holes in a backing bar-29 fitted inside-of the -edge liange 23. Tightening of the bolts, clamps together the hanger, ange, and bar. There is a set of holes in the hanger plate for each of the bolts. Each -set is adjacent a side edge of the hanger, and each set consists of staggered columns of holes so that by a proper selection of holes the height of the hanger above the stand top may be varied by small amounts. Spaced apart, one above the other on the desk side of the hanger and on the medial line thereof, are two flanged rollers, the upper, or riding, roller 31, and the lower, or retaining, roller 32. The rollers are provided with suitable bearings and are held to the plate by flat headed machine screws 33 countersunk therein. The edge faces of the rollers are spaced apart lthe width of the -track 12 so that the track is held therebetween, and the rollers are held on the track by their flanges 34. The hanger plate 26 is guided parallel to the track by spaced apart guide bars 36, 37, one to each side ofthe rollers 31, 32 and aftiXed to the plate so that both of them will bear against the track outer face. The bars should extend to' or near each side edge of the hanger, and they may form a continuous-strip on the hanger or a rib on the track side.

Adjacent the outer edge of the stand top 21, the edge away from the desk top, the stand is provided with a pair of legs 41, 42, one adjacent each of the outer corners of the stand. The upper end of each of these legs may be secured to the underside of the stand top so as to be without selective movement but applicant prefers to have the legs fold with respect to the top so they may lie thereagainst. Such folding is provided for by securing a flat bar 43 to the under face of the top, and parallel to and adjacent to the outer edge thereof; and by securing to and along this bar one leaf of a piano hinge 44 with the upper end of each leg secured to the other leaf of the hinge. A folding brace 46 is secured to and between each leg and the underside of the top away from its outer edge to brace each leg in its upright position. A gusset 47 is placed and secured between each leg and the hinge. A caster 48 is placed under the lower end of each leg and secured thereto.

The stand may be shipped with its legs 41, 42 folded against the underside of the top, and the hanger plate 26 separate from and flat against the top. The track 12 may be laid with its desk side against an edge of the stand top and its bend 16 at a corner thereof. Thus the stand and its track may be shipped in a small package.

To place the stand in use, the track is secured to and around the corner of the desk or table with which it is desired to use the stand. The track is spaced from the edge of the top by the sleeves 17 a sulicient distance to prevent the anged edges 34 of the rollers 31, 32 touching the desk top, even at the corner thereof, when they are in place on the track. Once the track is in place, the removable stop 19 is unscrewed from its track-end so that the hanger plate may be supported on the track by passing this track end between the rollers with the upper roller 31 above and the lower roller 32 below the track. The stop 19 is then replaced so that the hanger is held on the track and can only travel therealong, around the corner bend 16 and between the stops, one at each end of the track. The rollers are close enough together so that the lianges 34 of the rollers prevent them from leaving the track in a direction normal to the length thereof and in the plane of the desk top. Next, the legs 41, 42 are swung so as to extend from the top, the folding braces 46 are locked to so hold the legs, the stand is placed with the legs upright and the casters 48 on the floor, and, with the stand top 21 held horizontal, level, it is moved into place with the desk edge of the stand top against the hanger plate to align with a pair of holes 28 in the hanger and with the holes in theedge flange 23 so that the hanger bolts 27 may be inserted through the plate and ange, and screwed tightly into the backing bar 29 to secure the hanger to the stand top. The stand may then be moved along the track and the desk edge by its rolling on the hanger roller 31 and its casters 48. In moving from one end of the track to the other, the stand will pass around the corner of the desk. Thus, when it is desired to use the stand on one side of a desk, it is easily passed around the corner of such desk to be out of the way when not needed for such use. Also, the present invention provides a stand for a typewriter or other ottice machine, which cannot be tipped over to deposit the machine on the oor. This is a common occurrence with the usual small and portable typewriter-stand. The guide bars 36, 37 bear against the outer face of the track to hold the hanger plate 26 parallel to the track. This prevents swinging of the stand on the top roller 31.

Having thus described an embodiment of my invention, its construction, operation, and use, I claim:

1. A stand and table, comprising: a table having a top with intersecting edge faces, intersecting legs forming a rail with a curved bend at the intersection of said legs, means securing said rail to said edge so that each leg opposes a said edge face and the intersections ofthe faces and legs are in adjacency, a stand top having an outer edge away from and an inner edge adjacent said table, a hanger adjacent said stand tops inner edge and extending transversely thereof, a single support roller riding on said rail and secured to said hanger, and a pair of spaced apart legs secured to and depending. from said top adjacent said outer edge; said legs and roller acting as the sole support for said stand top to hold said top horizontal and adjacent said table top, and in conjunction with said rail to allow movement of said roller and stand top along the legs of said rail and around its bend, and said stand top being open therebelow to provide knee-room therebelow.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said rail has a surface in opposition to said hanger, and in which said hanger is formed at a position at each side of said roller so that said positions may simultaneously contact said surface of said rail.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said hanger has secured thereto a retainer which extends below and adjacent said track and directly below said support roller to substantially prevent said support roller from moving upward from said track.

4. The combination of clairn 3 in which said retainer and said support roller are each in the form of a flanged roller.

5. A stand adapted for attachment to a table top, comprising: a table top corner edge engaging rail having a curved bend therein transverse thereof and legs diverging hom said bend so that said rail will t a table corner and be secured to such tables edge with said bend at such table corner with said legs diverging from such corner along the edges of such table, a single roller adapted to ride said rail, a hanger plate, means securing said roller to said plate, a stand top extending normal to and secured to said plate adjacent an edge of said stand top, and a pair of spaced apart legs secured to and depending from said stand top adjacent an edge of said top opposite that to which said plate is secured; said roller and legs providing the sole movable support for said stand, and said stand top being open therebelow to provide knee-room therebelow.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which said rail has a surface in opposition to said hanger plate, and in which said hanger plate is formed at a position at each side of said roller so that said positions may simultaneously contact said surface of said rail.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 278,310 Bierbach May 29, 1883 369,647 La Roy Sept. 6, 1887 470,374 Fisher Mar. 8, 1892 583,856 Boynton June 1, 1897 695,406 Lynn Mar. 11, 1902 820,050 Keck May 8, 1906 907,401 Prouty Dec. 22, 1908 1,090,803 Brown Mar. 17, 1914 1,231,678 Walker July 3, 19l7 1,452,076 Howard Apr. 17, 1923 2,273,124 McDaniels Feb. 17, 1942 2,499,062 Greenberg Feb. 28, 1950 2,616,774 Prince Nov. 4, 1952 2,681,840 Miller June 22, 1954 2,749,196 Wolfe June 5, 1956 2,768,042 Persinger et al Oct. 23, 1956 

